Reader. Writer. Romantic.

Although this is not my first time at this restaurant, it’s my first time coming here that isn’t a work function. I do apologize for not uploading this in a timely manner, but with the weekend I’ve had it’s been hard. I’ve been trying to battle this cold/flu, finished off a rotation in litigation, started a rotation in corporate, and went to a wedding.

Every experience I’ve had here has been a pleasant one, this was no exception. After work, a friend, Carmen, and I set off to the restaurant. It was a short 10 minute walk from her law firm.

We were promptly seated and presented with menus. We decided on two appetizers: their famous Portobello Mushroom and a Caesar salad. I decided to try the Gnocchi Pesto alla Panna and Carmen had the Linguine con Vongole. The Portobello Mushroom was absolutely delicious. With it’s mild grilled flavour and a texture that was slightly reminiscent of steak, smothered in a cream sauce. There wasn’t a speck of mushroom or sauce on the plate when we were done with it. The Caesar was more classic. It was a little more aggressively dressed than I would have liked, but the amount of garlic was just perfect. Sure some may say it was too garlicky, but as you guys know, there’s no such thing with me. By this time I was actually almost full. I probably could have just done with a calamari and called it a night, but no, our entrees came. Gnocchi, being potato and pasta, is a lot of carbs and therefore, is very filling. I barely got in more than five bites before I had to call it quits. It was good, but it wasn’t exactly what I had expected. It was clear that the pesto was made in house, which I appreciated, but I wanted a little more olive oil and a lot more garlic. While I don’t know exactly what Carmen’s linguini was like, clams in white wine is a classic combination and based on the fact that she cleared her plate, I knew she had really enjoyed it.

Based on this experience and past experiences I would definitely come back. Although next time I do hope that I won’t be sick and that I’ll be able to better appreciate the intricacies of the flavour profiles that each dish has. Next time I would want to try the calamari and perhaps even a dessert…say a tiramisu?